Rising pessimism marks another drop in Florida consumer sentiment in October
Consumer sentiment in Florida declined for the fourth consecutive month in October, falling one point to 78.3 from a revised September reading of 79.3. Similarly, national sentiment declined 1.5 points. “Consumer confidence among Floridians continues to decline, largely due to more pessimistic views about their personal finances and the national economic outlook,” said Hector H. Sandoval, director of the Economic Analysis Program at University of Florida’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research. [Source: UF News]
How corporate landlords impact Florida's housing market
What does a landlord look like? Man? Woman? Young person? Older adult? Chances are, you aren’t thinking about a private equity firm or corporate entity. But in Florida, the chances of your landlord being a private company are getting higher each year. According to the Private Equity Stakeholder Project, private equity firms now own over 17% of all apartments in the state. Big ownership can come with some upsides, like lower deposits, quicker move-in dates, and nicer amenities, but it can also come with some major drawbacks. [Source: NBC Miami]
Opinion: The Florida Everglades remain an economic powerhouse. Restoration is worth it.
It’s time we look at America’s Everglades in a new way. This iconic natural wonder is much more than habitat for threatened and endangered species of animals and plants, more than a source for recreation. It is more, even, than a buffer against storms and a provider of fresh drinking water for South Florida. The Everglades is an economic powerhouse that fuels much of the economy of South Florida and supports millions of jobs. [Source: Palm Beach Post]
Fall crops play key role in Florida AG’s $7.8B in annual cash receipts
The Sunshine State’s fields and groves are flourishing with seasonal abundance, from vibrant citrus and sweet strawberries to creamy avocados and crisp vegetables. Growers and producers alike say this season’s crops reflect not only Florida’s agricultural diversity but also its determination to keep fresh, locally grown produce flowing to consumers nationwide. Florida’s agriculture industry is a vital part of the state’s economy, with 44,400 farms spanning 9.7 million acres, producing more than 300 different commodities. [Source: The Packer]
U.S. court says Florida can ban Chinese citizens from buying property
A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday cleared the way for Florida to enforce a law restricting real estate and land purchases by Chinese citizens, rejecting claims it violates federal law and discriminates against Asians. The 2-1 ruling by the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals could encourage other states to adopt so-called alien land laws, which were once common but fell out of favor a century ago. Lawmakers in more than 30 states have passed or introduced bills restricting foreign property ownership. [Source: Reuters]
Closing Florida’s healthcare skills gap
The healthcare industry is evolving at an unprecedented pace and Florida’s workforce must keep up. With a widening gap between healthcare talent needs and available professionals, organizations cannot rely solely on new entrants to fill critical roles. Workforce development isn’t just a strategy — it’s a mindset, a commitment, and a responsibility. It’s about investing in people, fostering growth, and building pathways that strengthen our healthcare system for years to come. [Sponsored report]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Orange County’s tourist tax in 2024-25 smashed the all-time record. Will it continue?
Boosted by the opening of the Epic Universe theme park, Orange County’s tourist tax collections hit an all-time high in fiscal year 2024-25, shattering the previous 12-month best, set last year, by $25.1 million, according to a comptroller report released this morning. Comptroller Phil Diamond, whose office tracks collections and spending of the bed tax, cautiously celebrated the new record of $384.5 million amid worries over air travel that could hamstring Central Florida’s tourism-focused economy.
› Duval DOGE members grill JTA on low ridership for autonomous shuttles
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority's cost of providing rides on its new autonomous shuttles is about $370 for each passenger who boards the shuttles that operate between the heart of downtown and the sports complex, according to a Times-Union analysis. The high per-passenger cost would be less if the service could attract more riders, but that could take years to happen.
› South Florida layoffs: These businesses have cut the most employees in 2025
Thousands of South Florida employees have been affected by mass layoffs so far this year, according to state data. Layoff notices filed with Florida's Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act show almost 5,500 employees in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties were let go between January and Nov. 3. And those are just the job cuts we know about: Employers are only required to file WARN notices if they have 100 or more employees and plan to conduct a large-scale layoff, close a facility or relocate.
› Hertz returns to profit as transformation pays off
After two years of losses, Hertz Global Holdings has returned to profitability, reporting $184 million in net income for the third quarter of 2025, a sharp reversal from a $1.3 billion loss during the same period a year earlier. The Estero-based rental car company generated $2.5 billion in quarterly revenue and an adjusted corporate EBITDA of $190 million, marking an improvement of about $350 million from last year.
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› Is Sarasota tourism down despite no hurricanes so far this year? Here’s what we know
Hotel room prices are up in Sarasota, but tourism is down, according to Visit Sarasota County’s September Tourism Data & Economic Impact report. Visitor direct expenditures — the amount of money tourists spent on goods and services such as food, shopping and entertainment — were down $9.5 million from September 2024. The number of visitors decreased by more than 14,000.
› Celebrity, Princess, MSC chart a new course for Port Canaveral this winter season
As Port Canaveral begins its winter sailing season, several new ships are helping to chart the way for the cruise port to see an anticipated 9 million passenger movements in the next year. Celebrity, Princess and MSC are bringing some of their newest and largest ships to Florida’s Space Coast to sail itineraries to the Caribbean and Bahamas now through April. After Celebrity and Princess both had their first season at the port last year, the Edge-class Celebrity Apex and Royal-class Sky Princess, both built in 2019, are wintering in Florida following stints in England.
› Hooters founders start ‘re-Hooterization’ with original garb
The men who founded the Hooters restaurant chain in Florida in 1983 have finalized their reacquisition of the brand, promising to return it to its beachy roots after it went through bankruptcy. Their first steps in what they call a “re-Hooterization” of the chain after its failure this year: a simplified menu, renewed focus on local communities — and server uniforms that “return the original look,” the founding group said in a statement Monday.
› Gainesville now home to new chapter of national Black women's group
The National Coalition of 100 Black Women Inc. (NCBW) celebrated the chartering of its 64th chapter on Nov. 1 at the University of Florida Hilton Conference Room. Marking a historic milestone for the Greater Gainesville Florida Chapter, the ceremony drew hundreds of attendees, including local officials, community leaders and members from NCBW chapters across Florida and neighboring states.